Wednesday, November 7, 2007

The "Codifying Manipulation Awards"

Why is Nicole Kidman really going to show up on Wednesday at the CMAs? To support her husband? To be seen by a national television audience after the writers’ strike canceled her late night appearance this week? To calm those rumors about her marriage and her appearance? It's all of the above. I am also going to go out on a limb and predict that because of their front row seating arrangement we will see these same pictures of these two for the next two years. And why not? This is the Kidman style; a hybrid of the style created by her former husband. Get a good series of pictures shot in a way that she controls, and the tabloids have shots to use for whatever stories they or Kidman's PR people are going to come up with. If it works don't fix it, right? Wrong. It's not working and, Nicole, this is where we the skeptics can claim victory.

Remember Black Wednesday, November 16, 2005. One day, actually only ten hours, after Keith Urban received his award for Entertainer of The Year, People.com treated us to pictures of Kidman and Urban in Boston with a ring on her finger. The person known as Keith Urban died on that day. He became known as Kidman’s boyfriend/ fiancé. He became a pawn in the Nicole Kidman vs. her former husband battle. Keith, still to this day, doesn't matter. It is always about Nicole and will be even after they eventually divorce. There she was with her self-purchased ring on, playing “are they” or “aren't they”. She used the publicists’ dream machine People magazine to get her story across. The first magazine pictures of these two were in People and its sister publication in Australia, Who. It got Nicole what she wanted: her fairy tale wedding. We all believe they are happy and she is aging naturally, don't we? Nicole, the interesting thing about this is that after two years we still don't believe either about you.

The methods that Kidman used to push this idea of her happiness, photos, sightings and strategically published articles don't work anymore. Those of us who have a college education in Publicity 101 have seen that those methods don't work because there is something much more powerful; that is the internet. Blogs, message boards, and columnists all have a power that Kidman and Camp Kidman can't manipulate. There are actually “real” people at these events that Kidman and Keith attend, and they will often go on the ‘net and tell their story, and often that's not what Kidman wants you to know. For instance, at the ARIA’s there was this united front of a happy, happy couple that the whole red carpet saw. What wasn't seen was that when Kidman arrived and saw the cameras, she took her coat off to display her see-through dress. Miss “afraid of the sun” didn't wear sunglasses nor a hat and she knew exactly what she was doing by wearing that dress. She knew that in LA and New York her one true love was "presenting" his new wife at his movie premiere. I know that one of the goals of Wednesday night is to get in the tabs the same week as her former husband’s first wedding anniversary. What people didn't see (except on Youtube) from the ARIA’s was how bored Kidman was during the telecast. She wasn't there other than to wear that dress. Even her blown kisses to Keith were sent after she saw where the camera was. That is the power of the Internet. People magazine was exposed in a CNN special about publicity and it was the great Ted Casablanca who pointed out that People is where PR teams send ready-made articles that push their clients’ agendas.

Kidman can say she hasn't had any work done to her body, but the power of pictures proves otherwise. She can say that she spent her first wedding anniversary with her husband, yet there were no pictures or witnesses. She can say there was a fireworks display for her birthday and a party for his, but since there is no one coming forward with pictures or talking about it, there isn't proof; and that is what is undoing this whole facade. Kidman uses the media, but yet the internet shows the subtle manipulation she uses. Look at the power of the internet with Kidman and her smoking. She claims she doesn't smoke, yet there are pictures that were published on Laineygossip.com that prove she has in the past. This creates a sense of doubt about what she is saying. As a skeptic this gives me a sense of hope. If she plays games with the media about her looks and her habits you don't have to be a genius to see she is doing that about her marriage.

That is why the People magazine interview with Keith doesn't really bother me. I seriously doubt that Keith Urban believes any of the drivel he professed in his paean to Kidman. He, above anyone else, has seen how the game works from Kidman's end to the other side which is proving this fairy tale isn't how it is being depicted. Keith wins Male Vocalist due to his stellar performance this year? Kidman and Keith make out on the front row - who cares? The truth is out there and it always rises above the slime.

19 comments:

Finally an honest and obejective view on this fictitious relationship and i use that term loosely. Nicole has always been about the publicity, one minute she doesn't smoke then we find out she does; in fact when Nicole accompanied Keith for his first concert after the wedding in Sarnia Ontario, Canada she was heard complaining about the Canadian ciggaretts! Then she speaks about the standing by her man while he was in rehab she rarely went and when she did you bet the photog's were right there and ready. There has never been an unposed pic of the two of them let alone when she stated she can't stand to be apart from her husband now for more than a week yet she continues to take films further and further away from him expecting him to do all the flying and interuptions in his schedule never putting herself out for him. Then we have the vanity fair article where she states she had a miscarriage then a couple weeks later that never happened? Smoke doesn't smoke, no cosmetic surgery or botox yeah right!This is a very one sided relationship the reason there are no pic's of the anniversary, her birthday party or even the surprise party she had for Keith with her family and her friends present is because she doesn't like to share the limelight! Seems to me Nicole has never learned how to play nice with others in the sandbox.

pashe said..."Finally an honest and obejective view on this fictitious relationship and i use that term loosely. Nicole has always been about the publicity, one minute she doesn't smoke then we find out she does;..."

I agree pashe, she doesnt have a credible or reliable image. Her fanbase in very small id say, because of these points that get mentioned over and over... they're so manufactured and phoney, people see right through them and therefore have no passion about her movies on account of this. It will be interesting to see what happens tonight on the CMAs. I just checked out the nominations at the CMA website, and I see that urban has 3 noms...entertainer, male vocalist, and album of the year. The first two hes up against chesney and paisley and if urban beats them out on any, in my opinion, these awards are a sham, on par with the MTV movie awards... you know, if they agree to show up to the awards show, they'll give them an award. Urban hasnt had as good of a year as last, thats for sure.

So, kidman walked the carpet with urban at the CMAs, for just the second time. And urban lost in every catagory hes was nominated in. It is the natural trend... rehab, poor cd sales, erratic touring schedule...and now kidman wants to be a red carpet couple. Maybe its the pressure of the current publicity image jauggernaut of the "tomkat with adorable suri" press she needs to try and catch up with. Or more likely a shake up is needed because her films are in constant assualt of ambivelance or religious and competant production critizisms. It doesnt look like its going to be a very good year for either one of them. So I'm wondering, down the road will this be recounted in press interviews by kidman as a very unmotivated, or lackluster, or unhappy, or depressing period?

The awards are over! I think Keith will be in the dog house for sure with wifey! The cameras stayed away from catching Keith and Nicole like the plague! This will not make Nicole happy. She was there for publicity and received next to none and the pic's they did get were not flattering, Nicole looked like she was wearing old sarong and that lipstick? Secondly Keith was 0 for 3? I think this should be a wake up call for him. He's had his focus on flying back and forth to Australia rather than on his writing and his tour even release of new videos have suffered. Keith says he was looking for a balance in work and personal life but i think the balance has shifted totally one sided to Nicole and both fans and industry have noticed and sent notice. It's unfortunate because Keith is an amazing and very talented musician and singer but it's getting lost like an after thought. Better shake it up Keith or go back to Australia!

Her manipulation of the media is not subtle at all. It's over the top and with the internet-so obvious. Someone in her camp should be doing a google search on all the crap she has spewed over the years and then get her to stick to one script. The CMA's better be a wake up call to Keith. The only thing she is doing for his career is tanking it. The US, especially Nashville does not think she is his savior. Her comments about Nashville being so "easy" are hysterical. Nic, honey it's because no ones cares if you are there or not. Seeing how little face time she received on the CMAs was refreshing...unlike the ARIAs. This time it was about the music and the musicians. At least we didn't have to hear Keith praising her yet again. Wonder how much fun they had after the show? My guess is not so much.

To my eyes Nicold didn't get anything she wanted last night, not a new plastic toy to keep hubby occupied while she proceeded to steal all his win limelight with her real love - the camera, nor did she get any love from CMT on the red carpet. She was treated like arm candy, not even his wife.

Pashe, I think your correct, even the shots of Keith when he was nominated for an award, were blocked in such a way to limit Nicole's appearance in the frame. That dress was not up to standards either, it looked like something she bought in a tourist shop at the airport in Hawaii, during a layover on her way to the states. Did Nicole all of a sudden get over her phobic fear of butterflies, because there are several in the print of the dress, or is that just another one of her many lies she can't keep track of.

I am happy for those who won at the CMA's because they truely deserve it, I am sad because Keith did not do enough work this year to make me feel he deserved even the nominations in the categories he was in, and my sincerest hope is that Keith figures out what he needs to do to get back on top of his game, whether he continues to be married to her or not, so that I get to see the performer who truely deserves to be CMA EOTY.

I LOVED how cmt cut away as Keith and Nic approached Lance for an interview. You got the impression cmt really didn't want to interview them but couldn't get out of it. I was surprised they went to Lance instead of Katie since 1. Katie gets better interviews from Keith 2. Keith doesn't seem to like Lance much. Or maybe that was the point - they knew Lance wouldn't ask any "hard" questions.

Did anyone else notice Nic's wedding ring couldn't be seen on the red carpet? During the show yes but not on the red carpet. It's usually so obvious. Maybe, like Blake Shelton, she left it on the bus and had to go back and get it.

Speaking of manipulation, which is it Keith? He is "spinning" so fast he might get whiplash.

After the ARIA's he was asked in an Oz radio interview "Do you like awards?" His reply was to the effect "Yes. Well, I like winning them. Otherwise I have no use for them." Last night on the red carpet (perhaps knowing he was going to be a three time loser) he said "I'm just happy to be nominated."

Last night was the first time in a long time Keith walked away with nothing from a country music awards show. Maybe it will be a wake up call that his "bank account" is hurting the career he expected her to help.

I think the reality of this so called "marriage" is that it will begin to show strains and troubles when kidman begins to get disatisfied with the results of their PR campaigns. And urban's failure to win anything at the cma's, may look in the short run as not very siginificant, their initial reaction may be, "oh well, well get em next time, odds are urban who is in as Ive mentioned before, a downward trend because he's lost the momentum, probably wont be there again for a while. Kidman's film career has been in decline for years now, and the usual magazine and awards and premiere appearences hasnt helped her recently, and its not going to change much in the future, and perhaps all they will have in the end is a life on a farm, with only each other... and is that the life for kidman? Not likely, it'll just be on to the next campaign.

I don't think that could ever happen, Keith Urban's first passion even before Nicole is his music. He is needed in the country genre I beleive we have yet to see the best of Keith Urban's talent I just wouldn't want to see him switch genres' to rock. Yes Keith has shades of rock and pop in the music he performs but when it really comes down to it the core is still country. Not the old time twang thang type but the story and deep emotional country. He needs to refocus back on his music and put the "Keith" back into his writing and performing. He needs to get back not neccessarily to the painful place he was in when he did his first two albums but he needs to find that balance instead of focusing everything around Nicole. That's not what helped him succeed to letting us in to where so many of us have been. Maybe now that the one year mark has been reached the newness of being married won't be so prominent in everything he does, says and writes

hey i was at the huffington post and saw this piece... (you''ll need to copy the whole link and paste on your browser..)http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/09/nicole-kidman-dishes-on-l_n_71914.html

She talks her new movie... she tiresomely rehashes "life with cruise...and you get stuff like this..."I have a new niece, I have a new marriage, we just bought an acreage in Tennessee, which we're really happy to build a house on and spend some time doing that," she says, drawing out Tennessee with a pronounced twang. "I'm just not willing to give up my life with my man anymore."

So the story is back to acreage bought and plans to build ranch and she'll retire because "her man is more important? I wonder where Kidmans bunnies are now to explain these plainly false and changing stories. Every interview has a different story... and no doubt she hand feeds them to urban! So it's looking more and more that urban is in fact the "Goat" she was speaking about, only to upgrade to "Ass" when this magical ranch gets built, or bought and dumped on the land, but who can tell?

I agree maden:I believe Keith is going to be very sorry he sold "HIS" home. The one place he built, chose the color scheme and felt at peace. Just like everything else this new place "the farm" will be Nicole's farm. It's like he is giving up his entire identity simply to keep Nicole happy. Well if this relationship ends I see a new and very deep album not long after! There have been numerous articles the last couple of days about how Nicole lost her identity while she was married to Tom Cruise. Well you don't hear Tom talking non stop about Nicole, I think Nicole should take a cue from Tom and get on with her own life and stop talking about the past if it is the past to her. As for Kenny Chesney, I think he is on "Nicoles stay away from Keith list" the list of friends and associates she has banned from calling or being near Keith because they drink etc. The smile and body laguage Nicole gave Kenny was so stiff and fake, Kenny did the right thing he accepted a genuine congradulation from Keith (his friend) and side stepped Nicole. Way to go Kenny! Now is we could only get Keith to side step Nicole lol. cheers

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